Registration has opened for Florida's annual python hunting challenge. The competition is not for the faint of heart.

Registration has opened for Florida's annual python hunting challenge. The competition is not for the faint of heart.

Since the python invasion, he describes the Everglades as a “ghost town.” After five years of python hunting, Benoit realized how quickly pythons adapt to their surrounding environment.

(WSVN) - A professional python hunter is using some four-legged helpers to sniff out snakes hiding in Florida’s swamps. He uses a team of trained dogs to hunt invasive species of pythons.

Many hunters sell the python hides, while others eat their catch after testing it for mercury. Moniz, who wasn’t eligible for the per-foot bounty, was banking on prize money.

The 2025 Florida Python Challenge is about to begin, promising hunters a shared $25k in prizes while protecting the Everglades.

Recently, three hunters captured a nearly 17-foot Burmese python, showcasing the kind of experience some participants might get ahead of the event.

Amy Siewe offers guided hunts to out-of-state travelers seeking to cross the "once-in-a-lifetime python hunt" off their bucket lists.

But this has barely made a dent in Florida's python population. Besides contracting with professional snake hunters, the FWC launched its now annual Florida Python Challenge in 2013.

Python removal agents earn anywhere from $13 to $18 per hour depending on the area they are hunting for up to 10 hours a day.